Selling a property on the Costa Daurada: certificates you need

If you own a flat or house on the Costa Daurada and live abroad, selling it means getting three documents that buyers and notaries in Catalonia will ask for. None of them is complicated, but one depends on the Catalan government and takes weeks, so it pays to start early.

1. Energy certificate

The certificado de eficiencia energética is required to sell or rent anywhere in Spain. A qualified technician visits the property, rates it from A to G and registers the certificate with the ICAEN, the Catalan energy agency. The energy label must appear in property listings, so your estate agent will usually ask for it before advertising.

It is valid for 10 years, or 5 years if the rating is G.

• Our price: from €95 for a flat, plus the official ICAEN fee (€12.90 for a home).
• Timing: ready 24 to 48 hours after the visit.

2. Habitability certificate (cédula)

The cédula de habitabilidad is a Catalan document confirming that the home meets minimum standards for floor area, ceiling height, ventilation, natural light and services. You need a valid one to sell or rent. A second-occupation cédula lasts 15 years, so check the date on yours.

After the visit, the application goes to the Catalan Housing Agency, which usually issues the cédula in two to four weeks. This is the step that takes longest, so start it first.

• Our price: from €185, government fee included.

3. Asbestos certificate

This one is new. Since 3 October 2026, Catalan Law 8/2026 requires sellers and landlords to hand over a certificate stating whether the property contains materials with asbestos, what condition they are in and what risk they pose. According to the Catalan Waste Agency it applies to buildings from before 2002, when asbestos was banned in Spain. That covers a large share of the holiday flats on the coast.

Finding asbestos does not stop a sale. The certificate is for information: the notary records it, and the law does not require you to remove anything beforehand.

• Our price: €150 for a flat, €180 for a house, VAT included.

Doing it without travelling

• One visit covers all three documents.
• Whoever has the keys can let us in: your estate agent, a neighbour, the building's caretaker or the person who looks after the flat.
• You sign the authorisation for the energy registration online.
• The documents reach you by email, and we explain them in English.

How long it takes

The energy and asbestos certificates are ready within 48 hours of the visit. The cédula depends on the Generalitat, usually two to four weeks. If you already have a completion date at the notary, tell us when you first get in touch.

You can message us on WhatsApp at +34 697 752 485, or read more about the energy certificate, the cédula and the asbestos certificate.